


Mourning

by aeternamente



Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: Gen, Heartbreak, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-25
Updated: 2013-01-25
Packaged: 2017-11-26 21:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/654371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeternamente/pseuds/aeternamente
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gigi looked down at the patterns the water made on the pavement—dark splashes and dark footprints against a pale background. It would all evaporate soon. The evidence would disappear. Gigi only wished she could erase it all from William’s mind so easily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mourning

Gigi tugged up at the shoulder strap of her bathing suit, which was still askew after she had hastily covered herself several minutes before. She heard the distant rumble of the ignition to George’s car, the crescendo of the engine as it accelerated down the driveway, the decrescendo as it passed out of hearing distance.

She tugged at her bathing suit again.

“You weren’t supposed to see me like that,” she said.

William waved it off. “I used to change your diapers.”

Gigi glared at her brother. “It’s not the same.”

William looked her in the eye, but Gigi couldn’t hold his gaze. She looked down at the patterns the water made on the pavement—dark splashes and dark footprints against a pale background. It would all evaporate soon. The evidence would disappear. Gigi only wished she could erase it all from William’s mind so easily—the way he’d seen her with George, her carefully crafted defense that rang so hollow and weak in the end, and the shouting and insults that followed when she ran out of things to say. She knew that William would never see his little sister the same way again.

“Are you all right?” he asked, and she felt his hand on her shoulder.

She stepped back, causing his hand to slip and fall back to his side. “What do you think? The man I love just left, and he’s never coming back.”

“He doesn’t deserve you—”

“What do you care about what I deserve?” Gigi snapped. “Apparently to you, I’m just a possession that can be bought.”

“That’s not—I didn’t—” William sputtered. “I don’t care about the money! But  _he_  does, that was the whole point. He cares about the money more than he cares about you.” He took a step toward her, lifting her chin so she was looking up at him again. “But he’s got it all wrong. You’re worth so much more than any sum of money I could have given.”

Gigi forced herself to look back at him, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe his words. At that moment, she felt pretty worthless, but she didn’t want to think too hard about that. She just didn’t want him looking at her anymore. She didn’t want him here at all, so she held his gaze for a moment longer and said dully, “Well then, at least I’m a  _prized_ possession.”

With that she turned back toward the condo, but not before catching a glimpse of the stricken look in his eyes.

“Gigi, I didn’t mean—”

“I don’t care.”

“Can we have some dinner and talk about this?”

She turned at the door. “Why are you even here?” She could feel her voice catch in her throat, but she continued speaking anyway. “Shouldn’t you be in some town in the middle of nowhere with your  _real_  friends?”

“Gigi…”

“Just go away!” She was sobbing now. “I don’t want to see you anymore! You’ve ruined my life—isn’t that enough? Do you want to stay and rub it in?”

“I want to stay and make sure you’re all right,” he caught up with her at the door, and Gigi kept her eyes trained on her own bare feet.

“Well, I’m not all right, and it’s all your fault, so there’s nothing you can do to help.” She went inside and closed the door behind her. Of course, William could follow her in if he wanted to—he had a key—but he didn’t.

Gigi showered and threw on old jeans and a t-shirt, and when she passed by the living room, she saw she had a new text on her phone. It was from Fitz.

_Hey, G, how are you doing?_

Gigi scowled and typed in her reply:  _William made you check up on me, didn’t he?_

_Of course he did,_  was Fitz’s next message,  _he cares about you._

Gigi made no reply.

_I can come over if you want._

Gigi kept her silence.

_I’ll make szechuan pork with the little baby corn._

She sighed and relented.  _Okay,_  she typed back,  _but only if we don’t talk about what happened._

_We don’t have to talk about anything unless you want to. I’ll be over soon. <3_

Gigi sighed and sat back on the sofa. She didn’t know what to feel. Even if she could decide on an emotion, say, betrayal—then who was it that betrayed her? William? George? Both of them? She was already regretting inviting Fitz over, as much as she loved his cooking. He promised not to talk about it, but he’d know, and he’d look at her with sad eyes.

She’d lost something tonight, not just a boyfriend… something indefinable, something whole and pure. She took the time before Fitz’s arrival to mourn the loss.


End file.
